President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said the enemies of Islamic Republic have resorted to terrorist acts in Iran to achieve their objectives.
In a message to a memorial service for the martyrs of the Shiraz bomb blast on Sunday, Ahmadinejad further said that since last 30 years, Iran’s enemies have mobilized their resources to exert pressure on the country, IRNA reported.
“The terrorist attacks of 1981-82, the Iraq-imposed war against Iran, economic warfare, cultural onslaught, the use of international bodies like the UN Security Council and pressures in different forms have all failed to bring Iran to its knees,“ he said.
“And when all means failed, they resorted to acts of terror.“
Iran announced earlier that Britain, Israel and the United States were responsible for the April 12 blast at a religious and cultural center in the southern Iranian city of Shiraz, which killed 13 people and injured more than 200.
Alireza Jamshidi, spokesman for the Iranian judiciary, said Iran may press charges against the United States, Britain and Israel over their involvement in the bombing.
Also on Sunday, Ahmadinejad paid tribute to Iranian soldiers who fought with the occupying forces to drive them out of Khorramshahr in 1982.
He noted that the resistance of Iranian nation is rooted in their monotheism, justice-seeking and freedom-seeking spirit.
The president made the remarks in a message addressed to the 11th nationwide festival marking the liberation of Khorramshahr.
“There is no doubt that the memories of the eight years of Sacred Defense would be invaluable examples of sacrifice, devotion and freedom-seeking of a pious and patriotic nation,“ he said.
Ahmadinejad said Khorramshahr is now a symbol of resistance and pride, adding that innumerous memories rest in the city’s heart, which calls for talented and committed artists to help revive it.

Defense Minister Brigadier General Mostafa Mohammad Najjar said Iran-Syria ties are strategic and based on the interests of the two sides and the Muslim world.
“Iran and Syria enjoy amicable relations,“ Najjar said in the second round of talks with his Syrian counterpart, General Hassan Ali Turkmani, in Tehran on Sunday.
Najjar told reporters after talks that Muslim countries should strengthen their bonds to thwart all threats.
The Syrian minister said the two countries’ officials have consistently exchanged visits and views with the aim of enhancing ties, Presstv reported.
“Iran and Syria enjoy sustainable cooperation because it is based on fundamental principles held in high regard by both the sides,“ Turkmani said.
“We believe that cooperation among regional countries is more necessary at this juncture than ever before in order to establish security,“ he said.
Turkmani was optimistic about new prospects for defense cooperation between Tehran and Damascus, stressing that bilateral cooperation would play a crucial role in promoting the stability and security of the two countries and the whole region.

Regional Unity
Also on Sunday, Commander of the Islamic Revolution’s Guards Corps (IRGC), Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari told Turkmani that expansion of Iran-Syria cooperation will have a great impact on strengthening regional unity.
“Cooperation between Iran and Syria and their mutual efforts to establish unity have borne fruit,“ he said.
Jafari stressed the importance of promoting bilateral cooperation and praised the significant level of unity and solidarity between the two countries.
Turkmani, for his part, praised Iran’s efforts at preparing the ground for greater bilateral cooperation and said mutual ties would produce important results.
“Syria is aware of the IRGC’s great capabilities in various fields of science, military and technology,“ he said.

Mohammad Ali Hosseini

Iran dismisses recent reports that Russia will mediate between Tehran and the UAE over the ownership of three Iranian islands in the Persian Gulf.
“Iran and the United Arab Emirates enjoy robust bilateral relations. Any disagreement can be resolved through dialogue between the two sides,“ said Foreign Ministry Spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini on Sunday.
“There is no need for foreign interference,“ he said.
Hosseini added that Iran has declared its readiness to hold talks with UAE officials on various occasions to clear the ’misunderstanding’ about the Persian Gulf islands of Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu Musa.
“Russian authorities fully understand our stance. We doubt the validity of the report but have been assured that the report does not reflect Moscow’s stance,“ he said.
The Iranian official criticized recent moves encouraged by certain sections in the United Arab Emirates advising the Persian Gulf state to seek the mediation of a third party instead of holding mutual talks.

At least 15 people were killed and 40 other wounded in separate fires in two chemical companies on Sunday in the city of Shazand in the Markazi province.
Shazand Governor Ali Aqazadeh told Fars News Agency that the fires occurred in Kimyagaran and Kimyagostar companies late Sunday in Martyr Babaei Industrial Township.
Noting that the cause of these fires is not clear, Aqazadeh added that nearly 80 percent of the companies were destroyed.

The Society for Defending Palestine in a statement called on the Iranian people, especially students and elites, to participate in the “Decline of Zionism“ Conference in Tehran.
Khaled Meshaal, the head of Hamas political bureau, will attend the confab.
According to Mehr News Agency, the statement said the Lebanese resistance movement has broken the ranks of Zionism with unity and persistence.
“The presence of Meshaal is an opportunity for us to announce our support to Palestinians fighting against the occupiers,“ it said.
Experts from Egypt, Venezuela, Morocco, Lebanon, Indonesia, the United States, Pakistan, Argentina, India, Iraq, Syria, Chile, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, France, Tunisia, and some other countries are expected to participate in the conference.

Commander of the Islamic Revolution’s Guards Corps Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari said an independent command will be established within the IRGC to fortify the structure of the missile program, if the leader were to verify the concept.
Speaking to Fars News Agency on the sidelines of the ceremony for commemorating the liberation of Khorramshahr at Tehran University on Sunday, Jafari referred to the structural changes taking place in IRGC.
“Structural changes are commonplace across the world. These are carried out to optimize financial and human resources, which is normal in an organization like IRGC. Of course, structural reforms have not been carried out in IRGC in full force for a while. This is now necessary, given the type of threats facing the country,“ he said.
Referring to the rumor that IRGC has left the Caspian Sea and that it is in control of the Persian Gulf, Jafari said, “It is only possible that the extent of responsibilities of the army and IRGC may change slightly. But, what you said is an absolute issue and incorrect.“

Secretary of Supreme National Security Council Saeed Jalili (r) meets with Japanese deputy foreign minister, Kenichiro Sasae, in Tehran on Sunday.

Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki called for Tehran-Tokyo cooperation to set up a nuclear fuel bank.
Mottaki also said in a meeting with the Japanese deputy foreign minister, Kenichiro Sasae, on Sunday that his country attaches great importance to ties with Japan.
He said that the Islamic Republic considers exchange of views with Japan fruitful, IRIB reported.
Inviting the Japanese Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura for an official visit to Tehran, Mottaki added that the two Asian countries could cooperate in the reconstruction of war-torn Afghanistan and Iraq, and address Middle East developments.
“Iran and Japan could also cooperate in bringing the views and positions of different Iraqi and Afghan political factions closer,“ he said.
Mottaki called on the industrially developed country to work with Iran on issues such as elimination of weapons of mass destruction, cooperation in the International Atomic Energy Agency, supplying nuclear fuel and establishing a nuclear fuel bank.
For his part, Sasae said Iran and Japan should boost consultations and cooperation on regional issues, adding that the two countries should play a constructive role in Iraq.
Referring to Iran’s development in recent years, the Japanese official said that his country considers Iran a ’superpower’ of the region.
He also invited Mottaki to pay an official visit to Japan.
Sasae arrived in Tehran on Friday for a four-day visit and met with Secretary of Supreme National Security Council Saeed Jalili, Deputy Foreign Minister Mohammad Ali Hosseini and senior presidential advisor, Mojtaba Samareh-Hashemi.
Hosseini and Sasae attended the 17th meeting of the Iran-Japan Political Committee on Sunday in Tehran.
According to the Information and Press Department of the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Hosseini and Sasae in their meeting called for boosting bilateral relations in various fields.
Hosseini, who is also the Islamic Republic’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, noted that Iran’s security and stability have created suitable opportunities for investment by foreign companies in his oil-rich country.
“Boosting interactions between the private sectors of the two countries will help expand bilateral cooperation,“ he said.
Noting that Iran has had sincere and transparent cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, Hosseini stressed that the Islamic Republic will pursue its right to acquire peaceful nuclear technology.

Iran’s Embassy in Tokyo has protested against an insulting scene in a cartoon series published by a Japanese company.
“After the publication of the insulting cartoon series in some Muslim countries, embassy officials met with Shueisha Inc. executives and expressed their deep concerns,“ an informed source at the embassy told IRNA.
The Iranian diplomats urged the company to take measures to prevent such incidents in future and apologize.
“We would like our Muslim audience to know there was never any intention to insult Islam and Muslims. We would like to express our sincerest apology to Muslims for these incidents,’’ a statement on the company’s website read.
Shueisha Inc. has suspended all DVD and book shipments of the fantasy adventure until the “improper scenes“ are deleted.
The scene from JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, adapted from a comic strip published from 1987 to 2003, generated angry responses on more than 300 Arab and Islamic Internet forums, with many accusing Japan of insulting the Qur’an.
The scene depicts Muslims as terrorists, Kyodo news agency cited Sheikh Abdul Hamid Attrash, chairman of the Fatwa Committee at Cairo’s Al-Azhar University, as saying.
An unidentified official at Shueisha Inc., a Japanese publisher involved in the cartoon’s movie version, told Kyodo the Qur’an’s use was “a simple mistake“ stemming from employees’ inability to read Arabic.

Alaeddin Boroujerdi

A senior Iranian lawmaker said the enrichment consortium proposed by Iran gives the West the “green light“ to break the nuclear deadlock.
Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Commission’s former chairman, Alaeddin Boroujerdi, made the above remark in a televised interview late Saturday, IRNA reported.
“By putting forward the proposal for setting up a consortium for uranium enrichment, Iran is sending a clear message to the five permanent members of the Security Council plus Germany that it wants to solve the deadlock concerning its nuclear issue,“ he said.
The MP added that under no condition would Tehran compromise on its right to peaceful nuclear technology.
“We haven’t received our nuclear technology as a gift from Germany, France or the US, and do not intend to give it up under any circumstance,“ he said.
The package, attached to a May 13 letter from Iran’s Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, to the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the Islamic Republic has offered solutions to global challenges, including its nuclear program, security of energy supplies in the Middle East, measures to counter terrorism and joint efforts to control drug trafficking.
The Big 5 plus Germany, for their part, are to present a “revised and updated“ package, initially offered to Iran in 2006, which is reported to include economic, security and technological incentives.

An Air Force commander on Sunday said the flight simulator of phantom jet fighter F4E was launched at the Ninth Jet Fighter Base in Bandar Abbas.
According to Fars News Agency, General Ahmad Miqani added that the simulator helps train jet fighter pilots in a safe atmosphere.
“It also helps prevent depreciation of jet fighters and saves money for the country. All the phases of design, software and propulsion system were handled by experts of the Air Force in collaboration with scientific research centers and universities,“ he said.
Miqani announced that in the near future other flight simulators will also be launched at the Air Force.
“Only a few countries have access to simulator technology. We managed to acquire the technology with the help of our skilled and dedicated workforce,“ he said.